On-Surface Synthesis and Characterization of Triply Fused Porphyrin–Graphene Nanoribbon Hybrids

On-surface synthesis offers a versatile approach to prepare novel carbon-based nanostructures that cannot be obtained by conventional solution chemistry. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have potential for a variety of applications. A key issue for their application in molecular electronics is in the fine-tuning of their electronic properties through structural modifications, such as heteroatom doping or the incorporation of non-benzenoid rings. In this context, the covalent fusion of GNRs and porphyrins (Pors) is a highly appealing strategy. Herein we present the selective on-surface synthesis of a Por–GNR hybrid, which consists of two Pors connected by a short GNR segment. The atomically precise structure of the Por–GNR hybrid has been characterized by bond-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM). The electronic properties have been investigated by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), in combination with DFT calculations, which reveals a low electronic gap of 0.4 eV.     

Electronic transport for pristine and doped crossed graphene nanoribbon junctions with zigzag interfaces

Using the fully self-consistent non-equilibrium Green?s function (NEGF) method combined with density functional theory, we investigate numerically the electronic transport property for pristine and doped crossed graphene nanoribbon (GNR) junctions. It is demonstrated that in the case of zigzag interfaces, the I–V characteristics of the junction with or without doping always show semiconducting behavior, which is different from that in the case of armchair interfaces [Zhou, Liao, Zhou, Chen, Zhou, Eur. Phys. J. B 76 (2010) 421]. Interestingly, negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior can be clearly observed in a certain bias region for nitrogen-doped shoulder crossed junction. A mechanism for the NDR behavior is suggested.     

Relationship Between Stress Modulated Metallicity and Plasmon in Graphene Nanoribbons

Nanoscale quantum plasmon is an important technology that restricts the application of optics, electricity, and graphene photoelectric devices. Establishing a structure–effect relationship between the structure of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) under stress regulation and the properties of plasmons is a key scientific issue for promoting the application of plasmons in micro-nano photoelectric devices. In this study, zigzag graphene nanoribbon (Z-GNR) and armchair graphene nanoribbon (A-GNR) models of specific widths were constructed, and density functional theory (DFT) was used to study their lattice structure, energy band, absorption spectrum, and plasmon effects under different stresses. The results showed that the Z-GNR band gap decreased with increasing stress, and the A-GNR band gap changed periodically with increasing stress. The plasmon effects of the A-GNRs and Z-GNRs appeared in the visible region, whereas the absorption spectrum showed a redshift trend, indicating the range of the plasmon spectrum also underwent significant changes. This study provides a theoretical basis for the application of graphene nanoribbons in the field of optoelectronics under strain-engineering conditions.     

石墨烯纳米带

近年来,一种新型的准一维石墨烯基材料即石墨烯纳米带(graphene nanoribbons, GNRs)受到广泛关注,限域的宽度和丰富的边缘构型使其具有许多不同于二维结构大面积石墨烯的性质和应用。本文介绍了GNRs特殊的边缘效应以及由此产生的电学、磁学等特殊性质,在此基础上进一步介绍了GNRs典型的制备方法、缺陷种类、掺杂和化学改性等,并对功能化的GNRs的应用进行了展望。     

Energy gap modulation of graphene nanoribbons by F termination

Under the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), the electronic properties are studied for the F-terminated graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with either zigzag edge (ZGNRs) or armchair edge (AGNRs) by using the first-principles projector augmented wave potential within the density function theory (DFT) framework. The results show that an edge state appears at the Fermi level E_F in the broader F-terminated ZGNRs, but does not appear in all the F-terminated AGNRs due to their dimerized C-C bonds at edge. The density of states (DOS) and projected DOS (PDOS) analyses show that the F-terminated ZGNRs are metallic and have a sharp peak at the Fermi level when the width is large enough. In contrast, the AGNRs are always semiconductors independent of their width. The charge density contours analyses shows that the C-F bond is an ionic bond due to a much stronger electronegativity of the F atom than that of the C atom. However, all kinds of the C-C bonds display a typical nonpolar covalent bonding feature.